Improvement in game-cards



R. T. SITTERLEY.

GAME-CARDS'.

TMEETEWS. PHOTO LXTHDGEAPNEF. WASHINGTON, D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

REUBEN T: SITTERLEY, OFl CARTHAGE, MISSOURI.`

IMPROVEMENT IN .GAME-CARDS.

Specification forming Vpart of Letters Patent No. 183,335,l dated October 17, 1876 application tiled March 1, 1876.

Tol all 'whom t 'may concern Be it known that I, REUEEN T. SITTERLEY, of Carthage, in the county of Jasper and State of Missourhyhave invented anew and useful Improvement vin Games, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to an improved game apparatus, as more particularly described hereinafter. i l

The object of the invention is to provide a means wherein amusement is combined with instruction in the rudiments of the science of geography and history.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a device embodying the elements of the invention. Figs. 2 and 3 are top views of the cards. Fig. 4 is a top elevation of California and Nevada. Fig. 5 is a bottom view of one of the maps, showing the number thereon.

In the accompanying drawings, A B C represent the three parts of thegame-A representing the rack, which is a piece of wood or other suitable material, of convenient size and configuration, provided with the slots a, of sufficient width to allow the sections B to be inserted therein, and are numbered as shown, for the purpose hereinafter mentioned. The map, or section thereof, B, is constructed by dividing a large map into parts-as, for instance, by separating the map of the United States into States in such manner as that they will form a dissected map, and can be put together easily, the object of which will appear in the operation of the game hereinafter. C indicates the card to be used in the game, and it may be ornamented in any desired, manner, the essential features being as shown in the annexed drawings. The name of the State, county, orl country, as the case may be, is placed upon the top line, beneath which, at proper intervals, appear the words cities, rivers, mountains, or other suitable words. Upon the left side of the cards are the words settled, admitted, area, &c., and justopposite these words is the abbreviation of the word number, the blank space upon the right side of lwhich is leftfor reasons hereinafter mentioned.

To more fully describe the apparatus, I will begin by taking the card representing California. It will be seen that opposite the word settled the date exhibiting when it was settled is shown-namely, l79-and on the same line, opposite the word number in vthe blank-leftfor that purpose, is the number 27,77 whichv indicates that Californiawas the twenty-seventh State settled. Immediately belowtheline abovemen tioned are the words and numbers admitted 1850, No. 31,77 indicating y size of California to other States, the number opposite the word area 7 being to show that it is thefourth. State in size. is given, as capital, Sacramento, No. 9, which represents that Sacramentois the capital of California, and is the ninth capital in size in the United States. Below this appear the largest and oldest cities in the State, and then come the rivers and mountains.

It is obvious that other names, such as counties, lakes,&c., may be used in lieu of, or in connectionvwith, those above mentioned, and also that the map may be separated in counties instead of States, all of which will readily 'suggest themselves to the manufacturer, and need not be herein specifically mentioned. l

This apparatus is used as follows: First, the sections of the map are placed in the slot in the rack, according to the numbers on the back of said sections and on the face of rack, No.1 map being placed in slot numbered l of the rack; second, the players being seated, the cards are shuffled and dealt off in equal numbers. The person on the left, or, if only two persons are playing, the one opposite the dealer, will lead off, calling for the area, population, or whatever he chooses, which must govern the game until that hand has been eX- hausted. For instance, if he should play Indiana, and choose the area as the governing feature of the game, and the opposite party .held Ohio, he could take it because the area of Ohio is greater than that of Indiana, the

area in such case necessarily ruling the entire hand. When a card is played, the corresponding map must be taken from the rack Next the citiesand laid upon the board, so that when the game is iinished a complete map of the United States will be formed. laid on the board must be touched at some point by the second map played, and in laying the maps down they must touch in the proper place. After the first ltwo maps have been played, the map last laid down need .not necessarily be touched by the next player. For instance, should California and Nevadabe on the board, and Nevada the last map laid down, the next player could play aV inap touching California, though it did not touch Nevada, provided, however, that he did not hold some State that joined Nevada. In such case he Would, of course, be compelled to play it.

The above operation is repeated until all of the cards are played. When a player cannot play on the card laid down last, but plays on some other State, the card must remain on the board "with the card previously played, and they can only be taken up "by some party playing a State that joins them, and is superior in the feature governing the game. Should any person be unable to play in his turn, he must be passed, the opposite party playing in his stead. The person having the largest number of any sequence numbers of the particular feature played Will be the Winner of the game;` Thus, if population were ruling the game,` the person holding the greatest number of cards,

with the numbers representing the grade of population coming successively, as l, 2, 3, 4,

or 10, 11, 12, &c., will be acknowledged the The .first map that is successful player. If one ofthe players should,

have a dozen cards and only three sequencecards, he could only count three.`

It would be more convenient if, When a number of persons are playing, more racks 2. In a game apparatus, a set of cardsor map-sections, B, each one of which represents,

a geographical division or subdivision of a map, in combination with a pack of cards containing information relative to the geo. graphical and historical rfeatures represented by the set first aforesaid, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing improvement in games, as above described, I have hereunto set my hand this 21st day of February, 1876.

REUBEN T. SIT'IERLEY.

Witnesses:

F. S. YAGER, D. A. SMITH. 

